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Fox On The Loose

July 10th, 2015, by Matt King

Fox On The Loose

July 10th, 2015, by Matt King

Newly rebranded Vale Brewing (formerly McLaren Vale Beer Company) has let its head brewer Jeff Wright off the leash with the launch of a new brand Fox Hat Brewing [Get it? – Ed.]. It's the latest venture for the business established initially in 2008 as a brewing company based in South Australia but brewing under license interstate before building its own brewery in Wilunga, in the heart of McLaren Vale.

Vale's core beers are already well known throughout much of Australia, particularly the flagship Vale Ale, which took out an eye-catching number one spot in The Local Taphouse's Hottest 100 Aussie Craft Beers poll in 2010. In past few years, the brewery has released occasional limited run beers under the EXP banner but, following the realigning of Vale, Jeff and the guys who this year consolidated their ownership of the business – brothers Tim, Pete and Michael Collin – thought it was time to produce a premium range.

Thus they came up with Fox Hat Brewing, beers that would still be associated with Vale Brewing but released under a different label. The name was decided upon during a group brainstorming session and fits the thinking behind the brand: letting the fox (brewer) loose to create new and innovative beers.

“Fox Hat will be a line or range that will reflect our personality as brewers," says Jeff (pictured below). "It is a way to keep our interest in using new hops and working with new styles.” Or, as Fox Hat's Facebook page states: “They called me sly – now I’m on the loose, they’ll see just how crafty I am. Catch me if you can.”

Initial offerings from the newly formed Fox Hat Brewing suggest the beers will typically be bigger and higher in alcohol – “big, bold and balanced,” says Jeff. Two beers have been released so far: the Phat Mongrel American Stout registering 6.5 percent ABV and the metric IPA a West Coast style IPA, which comes in at 7 percent.

The American stout is a thick, rich stout with a coffee coloured, creamy head and chocolate roast malt flavours.

As for the IPA, with Jeff not a fan of the term "imperial", the team decided to call it a metric IPA as there was exactly one metric tonne of grain included in the mash. For now these two will make up the core range. Looking ahead to what's coming next, Jeff was unsure; "We will have to start thinking of a third,” he says.

Although the label is only young, they have already thrown themselves out and about, hitting outlets across SA and interstate. They have also already completed a collaboration with Adelaide Hill’s brewery company Prancing Pony. It was decided, after many beers, that Prancing Pony’s India Red Ale would mix perfectly with the Fox Hat’s stout, and so it was, ending up as the Foxy Pony.

With the backing of one of South Australia’s biggest microbreweries, Fox Hat Brewing has been let out of the gate and set free to create. And, presumably, should any drinkers out there not take to the beers, they'll have a ready response: "Well, Fox Hat."

Matt King is a craft beer loving sports nut and runs the South Australian craft beer site, thecraftbeerking.com. You can follow him on multiple social media platforms – all found via his site.

The beer(s) or moment(s) that turned you on to good beer:

My good beer experience began in London, when I was taking a tour of the Greenwich Meantime Brewery in 2010. All the ingredients were laid out in front of me and we were able to eat the malts and smell the fresh hops; the fresh beer out of the tanks probably helped as well. This is the moment I realised "beer can be better", opening my mind to all the possibilities.

I then began exploring London for all the great beer spots and ticking off beers from smaller breweries; it was mind blowing. On my return to Australia, I continued to explore, starting where a lot of people started, with Stone and Wood Pacific Ale.

You've got three beers to turn someone else on to good beer; what are they and why?

There needs to be a good cross-section of styles when doing this, I believe; you never know what beer will be the hook. I would come armed with a tropical pale ale, an IPA that is on the sweeter/sticky side (not one that is too bitter) and probably an oatmeal stout.

The last beer you enjoyed:

The last beers I had came from The Wheaty and all of their beers are always great.

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The Crafty Pint is an independent online magazine and resource for anyone interested in craft beer in Australia. We bring an honest, old-fashioned journalistic approach to beer's brave new world, telling stories because they're worth telling not because someone is paying us to write them.

Like many of the people who have changed the face of beer in Australia, we believe in authenticity, integrity, enjoyment and love. We hope to play a role in helping good beer, brewed by good people, find its way into the hands of more drinkers.